McDavid: Oilers must perform after Holland's offseason moves
Connor McDavid expressed a sense of urgency when asked Tuesday about his patience level amid the Edmonton Oilers' retooling process.
"Definitely thinking the time is now," the reigning Hart Trophy winner said. "(I'm) 24 years old, (Darnell Nurse) and (Leon Draisaitl) are 25, 26, (and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is) 28, so the old excuse (that) we're young guys is no longer."
McDavid credited Oilers general manager Ken Holland for his offseason transactions and said the onus is now on the players to win.
"Kenny's done his job, gone out, and gotten pieces and added some things ... it's on us now to put the thing together," McDavid said.
Holland acquired forwards Zach Hyman, Warren Foegele, and Derek Ryan over the summer, along with defensemen Duncan Keith and Cody Ceci.
"More veteran guys ... some older voices, some guys that have been around and played in some big scenarios and games, and I just noticed that right off the top," McDavid added.
In June, the superstar center became the first player since Wayne Gretzky in 1981-82 to unanimously claim MVP honors. He led the NHL with 105 points in 56 games, and Draisaitl finished second with 84. McDavid also ranked second in the league in goals (33) and finished first in assists (72), racking up 19 more than Draisaitl, who placed second in that category as well.
The Oilers made the playoffs in each of the last two campaigns but lost in the first round in April after falling in the qualifying stage of the 2020 postseason. Edmonton hasn't reached the second round since 2016-17, when the Anaheim Ducks defeated the Oilers in seven games to advance to the Western Conference Final.